Nothing Comes From Nothing
by marchingon
Summary: This is a compilation of oneshots revolving around Derek and Addison. Starts off with Derek trying to make Addison feel better by watching the Sound of Music with her. Clearly Addek.
1. Something Good

AN: I stopped listening to my professor about 5 minutes into her discussion, so I pulled my iPod out and watched the Sound of Music. When the movie ended, I tried writing because I was still suuuuuperrrr bored. So I wrote. And this is what came of it. It's pretty.... lame? I don't know. Product of my boredom, I suppose. But just the same, I hope you guys like it. :)

- I don't own the Sound of Music of Grey's Anatomy. All I own is my iPod.

* * *

Addison shuffled her feet in an attempt to keep her balance, not appreciating the knock on her door at such an ungodly hour. She tightened her robe around her waist, and checked her appearance in front of the mirror hastily. She had a rough day at work the day before, and all she wanted was to sleep on it.

The knock came again, and she rolled her eyes. "I'm coming!" she yelled, muttering curses under her breath. Her face sank when she saw who was behind the door. "Oh. It's you," she said flatly.

Derek flashed her a grin. "Yup. It's me. Were you expecting anyone else?" he questioned.

She suppressed another eye roll and stood up straighter. "It's one in the freakin' a.m., Derek. I wasn't expecting anyone. _At all_."

He smirked, eyeing her death grip on the doorknob and noticing the way she leaned on the doorframe. "Are going to let me in?"

"Why?" She was honestly too tired for visitors. She had gotten off from a 72-hour shift, and really, all she wanted was rest.

"I heard about your patient today," he said simply. "I wanted to make you feel better."

Addison raised a brow at him. "You can leave now and let me go back to sleep. That'll make me feel better. Really."

He grinned wider. "Nice try, Adds. I'm not going anywhere." He paused, taking in her appearance and shifting his weight as he carried a brown paper bag in his arm. "Come on. I brought Ben & Jerry's. And a movie."

"What flavor?"

"Cherry Garcia," he smiled, knowing she was caving in. "Just the way you like it."

"And what movie?" she asked curiously.

Derek fumbled through the brown paper bag and held up and DVD for her to see. "What else? The Sound of Music. I know you have a secret kink for Julie Andrews."

She looked thoughtful for a moment and sighed, stepping aside to let him in. "Eleven years _did_ teach you something," she remarked, bolting the door to her apartment.

He shrugged, laying the bag on the counter and shedding off his coat. "Like how to make the woman whose heart is made of stone feel better."

She scowled as she grabbed two glassed from the cupboard and poured them both some wine. "It's not hard to please the Ruler of all that is Evil. The Sound of Music, Cherry Garcia…. And sex. Mind-blowing sex," she said seriously.

He laughed, settling himself on the couch after he'd loaded the disc. "Sex. I like that. I came fully prepared, then. I got you the ice cream, the movie, and I'm fully equipped for mind-blowing sex."

She merely smiled and settled herself beside him on the couch, curling her legs to keep her warm. Handing him the glass of wine and a spoon, she laid her head contentedly on his shoulder. "Maybe. If you and I get lucky," she said, digging her spoon into the soft-enough ice cream.

He kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "We're doing good at the friends thing, don't you think?"

Addison nodded, her eyes transfixed on the Austrian Alps flashing on the screen. "We are. And maybe when we get better at it, we could go to Austria," she said, pointing to the screen.

"So you can sing do re mi on those steps?"

She laughed. "No, so we can sing that song in the gazebo." She closed her eyes in thought, furrowing her brow. "What's that song called again?"

"Sixteen going seventeen?" he tried, taking a sip of his wine.

Addison shook her head. "No… It was between Maria and the Captain."

"Ah," Derek smirked, "Something Good."

She smiled at him triumphantly. "And here you say _I _have a secret kink for Julie Andrews. You're the one of us who knows all the song titles."

"But you're the one who sings it in the shower," Derek countered playfully.

She shrugged. "What can I say? It's comforting."

Derek just smiled and turned his attention back to the screen, stroking Addison's hair as she rested her head on his shoulder. In a matter of moments, their bodies had settled into each other, molding unconsciously and yet so perfectly, like missing pieces of a puzzle.

He would never admit it, but he enjoyed the Sound of Music as much as Addison did. It wasn't because of the movie itself, but what it did for Addison. It had always been her comfort movie, in spite of the fact that she'd seen it more than 300 times. Ever since she was young, her eyes never failed to light up at the over-all happiness the film exuded, and the hope it gave her during her loneliest moments.

They had been watching a full two hours when Addison shifted. "This feels nice," Addison admitted quietly, stretching her legs and pulling away from Derek.

He glanced up at her face and smiled. "It does. I missed this," he answered. He couldn't keep the longing from his voice. He missed Addison dearly, as a lover. Yes he had her as a friend, but somehow, being friends with Addison was never enough for him.

Addison stood up and walked to the bedroom, coming out with a warm blanket in her hands. She stopped right in front of Derek. "We can't miss it. We're divorced and we're trying to be friends."

He sighed, frustrated slightly. "Maybe we can never be _just friends_."

She shrugged, unfolding the blanket and once again settling herself next to him, wrapping the flannel sheet around them both. "So if we're not just friends, what are we?"

Derek met her gaze and kissed her forehead. "We're AddisonandDerek."

Sighing, she looked away and turned her attention back to screen. "We can't be AddisonandDerek without being lovers."

"Then let's be lovers, Fraulein."

One would question the seriousness in Derek's tone, considering it hinted of playfulness at the use of such an odd endearment. But Addison knew better and she could see right through him, right through his words and knowing what he was implying. "We can't be lovers, Captain. We screwed up royally. Twice, even."

"Third time's the charm," he stated, smiling widely.

"Shut up," she said, rolling her eyes and once again trying to concentrate on the film.

Derek turned his attention back to the screen and realized why Addison was so intent on concentrating. He reached for the remote and increased the volume, knowing it was Addison's favorite scene. It was that scene in the gazebo where the Captain proposed to Maria and they sang her favorite song.

Her eyes flickered on the screen and sighed, knowing she couldn't every well concentrate on the scene as Derek's words and demeanor flashed through her head. Surprising him, she grabbed the remote and hit pause, facing Derek. "What do you want from me, Derek?"

Surprised, he took her hands in his and brought them to his lips. "What I'm trying to say is… we won't get rid of each other completely and I just… I believe we aren't done yet."

"Aren't done yet?" she asked incredulously. "How can we not be done yet? We're divorced, and we screwed up."

"But we still love each other," he whispered, meeting her gaze.

Her eyes widened at Derek's statement. "Excuse me?"

"I'm still…" he paused, somehow not believing he was finally admitting what he'd been keeping hidden for so long. "I'm still in love with you. And I know, deep down, you still love me too."

She was quiet, shocked quiet, allowing Derek's words to sink in. She couldn't quite comprehend how an innocent movie night came to that. She sighed heavily, not knowing what to say. So once again, she reached out and grasped the remote, resuming the film.

Derek tried to suppress the disappointment, pulling her closer to him. He couldn't believe she said nothing to the fact that he had basically poured his heart out. "Just because you ignored me now, doesn't make the fact any less true," he whispered, his gaze falling to the TV screen.

If she heard her, she gave no indication of it. She merely transfixed her eyes to screen and concentrated on the fantasy of a Captain Von Trapp and Maria sort of love story. It was something she'd always held on to because it showed her how two people were destined to be, as if it were written in the stars. She was startled somewhat out of her thoughts by Derek's chest vibrating against her ear.

"For here you are, standing there, loving me," Derek sang, in perfect synchrony with the Captain. "Whether or not you should…"

Addison looked up, entranced by his singing voice. She would never tell him, but he was more than just a decent singer. He had a lulling baritone that never failed to make her heart melt. When she had married Derek, watching the Sound of Music evolved into something else, like it had acquired a whole new meaning for her. She loved how he would sing along, his voicing drifting her to a land of comfort and security.

"But somewhere in my youth, or childhood.."

"I must have done something good," she whispered, setting her palm on his cheek.

He looked at her and pulled her closer so her head was resting on his chest. "I love you, Addie. I know… I know that right now, you don't trust me to not break your heart. But this time around, it'll be different. I promise." He took her hands and met her gaze. "Think about it. We could go back to where we were."

"I don't know if—"

"Don't lie to me Adds," he pleaded, fixing a strand of her hair and settling it behind her ear. "Don't lie to me and tell me you don't want this, too."

"I want this, Derek. I do. But… I'm not strong enough to give you that chance again," she admitted, mentally kicking herself for admitting weakness. It was something she did not tolerate.

"Oh come now, Fraulein," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "Where's the risk-taking Addison I married?"

"Where's the Derek _I_ married?" she asked, her eyes full of pain. "I can't… love you for who you can become, Derek. I don't want to expect you to change. I want to love you for who you are, but it's hard because I'm in love with who you used to be."

"People change, Addie. I can change back and—"

"I don't want you to change," she said forcefully, interrupting him. "I don't want you to change. Not for me anyway."

He shook his head. "But you make me want to change, to be a better man," he stated, gesturing to the screen. "Like Maria did for the Captain."

Addison rolled her eyes. "There's a reason their love story's a movie, Derek. It's because… that's just it, it's a movie. It can't happen in real life. You can't change that much. And I can't change back, too. We're different people."

"But we love each other."

"Derek…"

"Nothing comes from nothing," he continued. "Remember? We can move forward. I _want_ to move forward. With you."

She closed her eyes, willing her tears not to fall. "And what if we can't? Then we just hurt each other again?"

"When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window."

"Stop!" she cried. "Stop! Stop quoting the damn movie! This is serious, Derek! This is the rest of our lives we're talking about!"

"I'm quoting the movie to drive a point, Addison!" he exclaimed, slowly feeling exasperated. "It all worked out in the movie, why can't it work out for us?"

"Because," she whispered. "I'm not a virtuous, patient and religious nun-turned-baroness, and you're not a whistle-blowing, righteous and with seven children sea captain. It worked for them because they fit."

"And we don't?"

"You know we don't."

Derek reached his hand up and stroked her hair. "You're not virtuous. But you're a wonderful, forgiving and talented woman. You're Dr. Addison Montgomery. It doesn't matter that you're not a nun, or that we had our fair share of affairs. What matters is that you're willing to fight and not flee. And me, I'm not a father to seven children, I don't blow whistles, and I'm not a sea captain. But I can command an OR, be loving and caring and can really give you that mind-blowing sex you always want." He paused, closing his eyes in thought. "I can make you happy, Addie, the way you make me. We fit, Addie. We complement each other well."

"Then why did we get divorced?"

"To make us realize that we actually do… complement each other, that is. Come on, Adds. What do you say? We'll… take it one day at a time. We'll do couples counseling and talk every night and have sex every night. All I want is one chance. One more chance, which I promise not to screw up."

Addison sighed, lifting her head from his chest. "Nothing comes from nothing?"

He nodded, encouraged. "Nothing comes from nothing. We'll move forward."

She thought about it, a million things running through her head. Giving Derek another chance could possibly ruin the strength she had worked for these past months. She would once again change into another Addison, someone who could be hurt more deeply and easily. But she loved Derek, and no matter what kind of pain they put each other through, she would always spend the rest of her life wondering what if. But at that moment, she had to power to not think about those what ifs, to change her future into something that could possibly make or break her. Knowing she could quite possibly regret not giving him a chance, she sighed. "Promise not to screw up anymore, Captain?"

"I promise, Fraulein."

She smiled slightly and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Then I must have done something good. _We'll_ be doing something good."

He laughed and kissed her square on the lips, knowing Addison had somehow made a decision. The feeling of her lips beneath his sent a rush of emotions through him, making him even more determined to hold on to her, to be that man to take care of her forever. He deepened the kiss, pulling away when he felt her fidget slightly. "Something wrong?" he asked, afraid that she'd changed her mind.

She shook her head. "No. But I was thinking... Ice cream's finished, the movie's done...maybe it's time for that mind-blowing sex now."

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	2. Do Re Mi

AN: This story was originally supposed to be a oneshot, but I had another idea so now it's going to be a compilation of oneshots. They're all going to revolve around Addison and Derek and the Sound of Music. I have no idea where the thought came from, but I really enjoy the musical so I'm incorporating it here. :) Haha. These oneshots are going to be in no chronological order, and will range from really fluffy to really angsty. :)

- I own neither Grey's nor SOM.

* * *

Derek walked casually by the row of lockers for the 13th time in the past hour, stealing shy glances at the redheaded girl leaning against it, her head buried in a chemistry book bigger than her face. He had been trying to work up the courage to approach her upon Mark's coaxing. They'd been enrolled in med school for a week now, and the redhead and him had the same classes. She was always seated in front, her attention always fully focused on the lecture. That in itself turned him on; he secretly had a thing for smart girls.

Addison raised her head, her brow lifting at the man who seemed to be stalking her since the school year opened. He wasn't exactly inconspicuous. The hallway was completely deserted and he'd been pacing the front of her locker for the past hour.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice containing a hint of annoyance. She looked at him from head to toe, taking note of his over-all appearance.

Derek stopped in his tracks, blushing profusely and unable to form any coherent thought. He was unbelievably embarrassed for being caught fantasizing over the pretty redhead standing in front him, now with her hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for answer. "Wha—wh… Errr… What?"

Her brow rose further as she closed her book and set it in her locker. "I said, can I help you?" Her hand set itself on her hips more sternly, expecting an answer. The fiery being in her was coming forth, but for the cute man's sake, she was trying to suppress it. "You don't think I notice but you've been following me around for a week. So unless you tell me straight forward what you want from me, I'm going to report you to Student Services."

Derek's face fell, his head telling him to say something smart. "Derek," he said stupidly, inwardly smacking himself for coming up with something so senseless. He shifted nervously in place, staring at Addison's green eyes, wanting nothing more than to get lost in them.

She crossed her arms on her chest, slightly amused by the man standing in front of her. She knew he was a freshman. She knew they had the same classes and that his name was Derek. She knew he was best friends with the manwhore who slept with her roommate just the other night. She also knew he was insanely cute and dreamy, but she wouldn't admit that just yet. "What?"

He cleared his throat, straightening his posture. "My name's Derek. Derek Shepherd. We have Neurology and Introduction to Surgery together." He extended his hand in courtesy.

Addison nodded, uncrossing her arms and extending her hand to shake his. "Addison. Forbes- Montgomery," she added as an after thought, mentally berating herself for even mentioning the Forbes part. Whenever she did, men who wanted to ask her out suddenly went running for the hills, daunted by the mere word.

His jaw fell slightly. "Forbes… _Forbes Montgomery_?" he asked meekly, his voice a pitch higher than usual.

She smiled, endeared by his reaction. "Yes. Problem?" He was the first man who didn't conveniently have an appointment forgotten, or an emergency to get to right after the Forbes-Montgomery part was mentioned.

Derek shook his head, telling himself not to be intimidated. He reminded himself of his determination. "So…." He buried his hands in his pocket, chuckling nervously

"You want to get to know me, don't you?" she asked knowingly, smirking. She knew she was pushing herself, but if there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was inability to express feelings. She was always good with expressing her emotions, especially her anger, and to see someone battling with emotions to the point of incoherent thought and freaky stalking unnerved her to no end.

He nodded, cursing himself for being too obvious. He really needed a talk with Mark. If he ever wanted to impress her, he needed help. "I do, actually." He flashed her his signature smile, one that was sure to make girls swoon over him.

She smiled. "Okay. Let's start at the very beginning—"

"A very good place to start," he finished, grinning at her.

Addison stopped, her eyes widening slightly. "You know that?" The shock was quite evident in her voice, her jaw falling slightly at the man before her.

"The Sound of Music? Who doesn't?" he asked, his tone quite obvious.

She laughed, thoroughly amused that he knew something that could be considered girly. "You're a man. I didn't expect you to know that. I mean, you could be familiar with it, but to _know_ it?"

He grinned once again and shrugged. "I grew up with four sisters. Count me in for nail polish, hair braiding, and musicals."

Furrowing her brow, she thought it odd for him to be so familiar with things women liked. She honestly had to ask. "You're not… gay, are you? I mean, it's okay that you are and—"

"I'm not!" he protested defensively, slightly embarrassed by the question. It wasn't the first time he was asked that question, but it humiliated him that the girl he liked a lot thought about asking it so straightforwardly. "I'm not, I swear. I mean… come on. I grew up with five women. How could I not—"

"Okay! I get it," she laughed, finally closing the door to her locker and walking toward him. "You're not gay."

He smiled in relief. "I'm not gay. But you're just… getting the do-re-mi of things, right?"

"Right," she confirmed, still amused and bearing that knowing smirk of hers.

"How about we get the do-re-mi's of each other over coffee? Tonight?" he asked, praising himself subtly for the smooth move. "Please?" he added, his voice squeaking slightly.

She found him endearing, his awkward nervousness drawing her to him. Thinking about what she had to do tonight, she nodded. "Sure. Pick me up at 5?" she asked, her tone implying that he couldn't say no. She really only planned to stay in and study anyway.

"Of course. And you stay at…?"

"The apartment just off campus."

"The Booker House?"

She shook her head. "The Ivy Hill."

Derek had to do a double take. "You live at the Ivy Hill? You _actually_ live there?" he questioned, his voice squeaking with disbelief, shock evident in his tone. He didn't know what he got himself into, falling for a girl way out of his league. But she was so kind about it, slightly shy about her social status. It was her modesty that he admired. But nevertheless, he was asking out a Forbes-Montgomery who lived at Ivy Hill and probably owned more Jimmy Choos than anything.

"Is there a problem?" she questioned, sensing his apprehension.

"No… No. I just… I could only dream of affording to lodge at that place. It's so… upscale."

Addison shrugged. "My mom insisted. She hates that I went to school far from home, so living in that place is a compromise."

"And where exactly is home?"

She laughed, touching him lightly on the shoulder. "We'll talk about that over coffee," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "It was nice meeting you, Derek." And with that, she gave him one last smile and walked away, leaving him grinning goofily to himself.

-

He felt slightly out of place at the grand lobby of such a posh venue. His worn-out sneakers and dress-down shirt with his scruffy jeans made him look like a callboy. He would've dressed into something more appropriate, but that totally slipped his mind as he scoured every flower shop in the city, hoping to find the prettiest bouquet. Needless to say, he wasn't able to prepare for the way she looked as she came out of the elevator, dressed in a light summer dress and a cardigan. Her hair was tied to a ponytail, and she had a hint of make-up on her face, making her look like a model right out of a magazine.

Her eyes searched the extensive lobby until they rested on his soft blue ones. She smiled and waved before walking over to him. "Hey."

"Hey," he said, handing her the bouquet of red roses. "These are for you."

Addison smiled and took it from his hands, her eyes darkening for a split second before going back to normal. "Thank you. They're beautiful."

"So are you," he said earnestly, meeting her shy gaze.

She blushed and cast her eyes downward, smiling slightly. "Thank you."

There was an awkward pause between them, neither of them knowing what to say.

"Well, shall we go?" Addison asked finally, mentally berating herself for talking like her mother. Growing up in the lifestyle that she did, old money and certain traditions rubbed off on her that it reflected much in the way she conversed with people.

Derek nodded, offering his arm to her. "There's a coffee place I want to take you to. It's quite near so I hope you don't mind walking."

She shook her head, matching his pace as they exited the building. "Not at all. It's a beautiful night anyway."

They walked to the quaint coffee shop in comfortable silence, both of them lost in thought. It was indeed a beautiful night, the chill just right for New York, and for once, the stars were glittering and showing proudly despite the buildings towering above them. Derek escorted Addison to the plush corner couch and ordered her hot chocolate, reasoning that she wouldn't want to stay awake all night.

"So tell me about yourself Derek," Addison asked, settling herself on the comfortable couch and crossing her legs.

"Well," Derek started, taking a sip of his hot chocolate before turning to look at Addison. "You know that I have four sisters. I'm actually the youngest of the family, and an only boy. I sort of ruined the whole Little Women thing going on."

Addison chuckled lightly, somehow not comprehending how Derek could be straight whilst growing up in a sea of estrogen. "And your parents?"

He frowned a bit before smiling. "My dad died when I was 12. It was sudden, something none of us could have expected. But my mom raised us well."

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, regretting the question.

"Thank you," he whispered, clearing his throat. "What about you? Any siblings?"

"I have an older brother, actually. His name's Archer and he's two years older than me. He's in med school, too, but he's attendig Harvard Med."

Derek nodded. "Not only are you guys rich, but you're smart too." _And with the best genes_, he wanted to add, but stopped himself before he could voice it out.

She grinned, leaning back against the chair and eyeing Derek amusedly. "I wouldn't say that… but I'll take it."

He reached for his cup and brought it to his lips once more, sipping the hot liquid cautiously. "What about _your_ parents?"

Addison shrugged. "Here and there. My dad travels a lot. He's a lawyer. My mom is… the epitome of a socialite. She grew up in a traditional upscale household so she says the word darling a lot and _adores_ using the word oh."

"Did that rub off on you?"

"I certainly hope not. But I did get the fiery redhead thing going on from her. She went to a lot of parties while I was growing up, but she's a good mother."

"Ah," Derek smiled, thoroughly amused by the woman standing in front of him. "Can I ask you a really random question?"

She raised a brow at him. "Weren't we just doing that?"

He chuckled. "Well, may I have permission to keep on asking random things then?"

"Of course," she nodded, smiling at him graciously. "As long as I can do so as well."

"Deal."

"Okay, shoot. What's the really random question you were going to ask?" She reached for her drink and sipped it, her eyes transfixed on Derek's powder blue eyes, both endearing and heartwarming.

Derek smiled at her. "Why do you wanna be a doctor?" he asked, looking at her expectantly. She didn't really come off as the type to enjoy gory things, but she looked determined and focused.

She pursed her lips in thought, taking a sip of her hot coco before answering. "I don't know, I guess. It came with the whole advanced placement thing I've been assigned to since I was young. It sort of came naturally, or was expected of me because I graduated high school so early and started college really young. Do you get me?" she questioned, her brow furrowed in slight confusion.

"I'm not sure I do," Derek answered honestly.

Addison chuckled at his truthfulness. "I graduated high school at sixteen, two years before everybody else my age. That's because I attended honors classes and advanced lessons. Everyone made it clear to me that because I was… smart," she said unsurely, "I had the potential to be a doctor. And that sort of just rubbed on me, I suppose. Their dreams for me became my dreams for myself, so here I am."

"But you really want to be a doctor?" he questioned. "I mean, all of the smart things aside, do you really want it?"

She thought about for a moment before nodding certainly. "I do. It's the most rewarding profession there is, and it makes me happy to be able to help people." She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward slightly, eyeing Derek. "What about you, Shepherd? Why a doctor?"

Derek shrugged. "All my sisters are learning to be MD's. And… I suppose I like to be in control."

"With a god-like complex?"

"Maybe. I'm highly competitive."

The night whiled away with them shooting each other random questions, getting better acquainted with each other. Addison had not felt this comfortable with a man before, and Derek never enjoyed the company of a woman as much as he did with Addison.

They were on their third round of hot chocolate, and it was past 8 in the evening when Addison decided she wanted real food to eat. Derek paid for the bill and took her to a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant, the only place he could afford as of the moment.

"I hope you like Chinese," he said earnestly.

Addison grinned. "I love Chinese."

He grinned. "And I hope you eat things other than fine cuisine. This… isn't exactly The Plaza Hotel food type, but it's very good."

"Don't worry about it, Derek. I'm not as high-maintenance as you think."

Derek exhaled in relief, escorting her to a seat and ordering. Once they had placed their orders, Derek straightened his back and stared at Addison who sitting adjacent to him in the small booth. "So… got any talents?" he asked, shooting another random question.

Addison shrugged. "I studied ballet when I was young. And I've appeared in a couple of musicals in high school."

He nodded. "So you sing?"

"Not really. But I used to give music lessons to special kids all throughout my teens. I taught them to play the piano."

"And do-re-mi's?" he questioned, grinning, referring to their earlier conversation on the Sound of Music.

She laughed. "Yes, actually. And you?"

"I play football, if it matters any. All throughout college and high school, I was on the team with my best friend since preschool."

"Mark Sloan?"

"You know him?"

"He slept with my roommate," she said dryly. "He's pretty good in bed, I hear. Or heard. They were… very loud, to say the least. He literally rocked the bed. It kept on banging on the wall."

Derek had to laugh at her expression, one of pure disgust. "Aww, he's a good man, don't worry. I'll introduce you to him sometime."

Her face twisted into a look of skepticism. "That won't be necessary. The next time I see him anyway, all I'm going to remember's how he kept on yelling 'Jesus' or 'God' from across the hall."

"He does that, doesn't he? He's… sexual sometimes."

"He's a manwhore, so you're lying. He's not only sexualy _sometimes_."

"I suppose you're right," he laughed, excited to tell Mark of a Forbes-Montgomery's opinion of him. "But he's a good person, I swear."

"I'll take your word for it," she said reluctantly. "Anyway…"

"Biggest fear?" he blurted out suddenly, wasting no time to kill the dead air that might come between them.

She was startled for a moment before she thought about the question. She looked at him square in the eye and said, "Failure."

"You don't like to fail?"

Addison shook her head. "I stop at nothing to get what I want. I'm a pretty sore loser."

He nodded, knowing it was his turn to answer the same question. "Mine is… mine's… ending up alone. Sometimes I think my head's too high up my ass to notice things, so people leave me." His voice was sincere, trusting, as if having Addison know his secret could potentially kill him.

She stared at him intensely, trying to read into his words. He didn't seem like the type to commit. In fact, he looked a lot like his best friend, coming off as in love with the thought of life as a bachelor. The revelation was pretty unbelievable. "Really?"

He nodded in affirmation. "I tend to shut myself out when something happens and I… can't really explain it," he said honestly, looking into her eyes for understanding. He knew he probably shouldn't have revealed that piece of information if he wanted to pursue a relationship with the woman in front of him. But for his sake, he was being honest so she could see right through him and accept him for who he was. The reason most of his relationships didn't last long was because he would run for the hills at the first sign of trouble, or obsess over not being good enough to the extent of hurting everyone around him.

Addison smiled at him softly. "I can't say I understand, but, if it makes you feel any better, I don't like to lose," she stated, implying that if he ever shut himself out, she was too much of a force to be reckoned with that she would set him in place.

Derek returned the smile with one of his own, appreciating the words and the implications Addison had spoken. "Well, then I'm glad you're a sore loser. You'll keep me in line."

"I will," she agreed, blushing slightly at his intense gaze. "And for the record, whenever you feel like closing yourself up, you can call me… maybe ask me out on another date." She felt her palms sweat as she awaited his reaction. She honestly wanted to see him again, as more than a friend, and was nervous about him accepting her invitation to pursue her.

He grinned widely, accepting the invitation she was offering with much sincerity. "I'll be sure to remember that, Addison."

* * *

That was completely random, I know. And it's pointless fluff. I think all of this is going to be pointless fluff. :)) Tell me what you think, though!:)


	3. I Have Confidence

AN: Hello everyone! Thanks for the reviews! They're better than I expected. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure people were gonna respond to the story at all. So here's another oneshot. :) I'm still deciding if I want to post the angsty story I wrote before this one. Let me know? Thank you!

-I own nothing.

* * *

Mark entered the scrub room, his hands both full with a cup each of good luck juju. He chuckled slightly at Addison's disheveled appearance, her pacing quite endearing.

"You're gonna wear a hole through the floor if you don't stop," he warned in greeting, extending the steaming cup to her.

She took it gratefully, breathing deep, calming breaths as she took a sip. "Thanks for the juju," she stated. "Where's Derek?"

"Stuck doing sutures in the pit. He pissed off Webber today."

Addison raised a brow at him, urging him to continue how her new husband had pissed off their resident. She hadn't seen Derek since the start of shift, and she was about to do a C-section all by herself while the attending assigned to her watched. All the attendings knew that Addison had the passion, the drive and the skill to surpass theirs, and it was in their best interest to develop her potentials so early in the program.

Mark shrugged, taking a sip of his own juju. "Something about questioning Webber's authority at the OR this morning."

She sighed, shaking her head in disapproval. "He tends to do that, doesn't he? He's too… arrogant for his own good."

"Sounds like me, actually."

"Yes, but you didn't piss off your resident on the most exciting moment of your wife's career yet."

He chuckled, the sound hearty and low. "You're right, as always. But he said he was going to try to get out of it to watch you."

She nodded, hoping he could. She always found comfort and confidence in Derek's presence, and she desperately needed those things now. "I'm so nervous," she admitted. "I mean, it's a routine C-section, but it's going to be my first and I'm afraid I might screw up."

"You won't," he said firmly. "You'll do great. Just keep your cool and focus on the task at hand."

"This is like… a defining moment for my career, Mark! I can't afford to mess up."

"Like I said, focus. And look up."

She turned her head and furrowed her brow in confusion, laughing amusedly. "What?"

"Look up," Mark said simply. "At the gallery, I mean. Derek's going to be there. And he's like… your good luck charm, sappily speaking," he said disgustedly. "I mean, you're getting all the luck you could get. You're drinking juju, you're wearing your good luck scrub cap, and Derek's gonna be there."

Addison nodded, her hand subconsciously going to the scrub cap she was wearing. It had tiny butterflies embroidered on it, a gift from Derek's mother when they first started dating. "And don't forget, I'm wearing my good luck underwear too," she added, grinning at the uncomfortable look Mark had.

He made a face, disturbed. "Okay, you did not have to tell me that! Now I'm going to imagine your panties the whole time you're operating."

She grinned cheekily at him. "You don't have to imagine, I can show you," she joked, thoroughly enjoying Mark's expression. "It has stars on the garter. I got it at Victoria's secret. Derek almost ripped them off the first time I wore them but I told him he had to be careful with them because they were gonna bring me luck and—"

"Stop!" he cried, completely surprised by Addison's descriptions. "Seriously, it's disturbing. You're like a sister to me. Can you imagine my sisters describing their underwear to me? Or Nancy describing her underwear to Derek?" The disbelief was laced perfectly well in his tone, but somehow finding it highly likely for Nancy Shepherd to actually describe her underwear to her only brother.

Addison doubled over in laughter, gasping for breath as she tried to calm down. But her face was red and her stomach hurt from the laughing, Mark looking at her un-amusedly. "I'm so—I'm sorry," she managed. "It's just… I…"

"What are you laughing about?" Derek said from the doorway, his face confused at Addison's peels of laughter and Mark's un-amused stance.

Mark turned his head to Derek, shaking his head. "Your _wife _has just been telling me about her lucky underwear."

"Lucky under—" He paused, scanning his eyes over Addison's laughing figure, and grinned. "You mean the one with stars on the garter?"

"Oh please, not you too," Mark said. "I imagined it enough, thank you very much."

"Come on, Mark," Addison said, finally calming down. "They're very lucky. I always get _there_ when I wear them and—"

"It boosts her confidence like you can never know," Derek continued, grinning widely as he made his way to Addison and kissed her softly on the lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner," he apologized. "I got held up."

She nodded, still grinning from ear to ear. "I heard. We'll talk about that later."

"I got here as fast as I could. Though I must admit, you telling Mark about our little secret wasn't how I expected to find you."

Addison shrugged. "What can I say? It boosts my confidence," she teased.

"And tonight," Derek said suggestively, "we'll celebrate with said lucky underwear. Off, preferably."

She laughed, wrapping her arms around Derek's neck and meeting his gaze. "I can't wait. But… thank you for being here. It means a lot."

Mark cleared his throat. "I'm still here, you know?"

She turned her head and smiled at Mark. "Thank you, too, for coming. And for bringing me juju." She paused. "And for listening to my insane ramblings about my lucky underwear," she added as an afterthought.

"Glad to be here," Mark said, lifting himself off of the wall he was leaning on. "But Derek and I better go. You'll be scrubbing in soon."

Derek nodded. "He's right. But I'll be at the gallery, I promise."

"Promise?"

"Didn't I just?" he laughed, planting a kiss on her lips.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Think I can do this?"

He grinned. "I _know_ you can do this. Remember that song you used to sing when you're nervous?"

"I have confidence in sunshine, I have confidence in rain. I have confidence that spring will come again," she recited, automatically remembering the encouraging lyrics from her childhood.

Derek laughed, but continued reciting the lyrics with her. "Besides which you see, I have confidence in me."

The thought eased her mind, and she hugged Derek in appreciation. "I have confidence in me," she repeated, feeling so much better with the thought.

"That's right. You won't screw up." He gave her one last kiss and walked to Mark, waving slightly before exiting and making their way up to the gallery.

Addison sighed, taking a sip of her juju before setting it in the trash and beginning to scrub her hands. The patient was being wheeled in to the OR, and she could feel the butterflies starting to flutter in her stomach. She was so nervous to be doing this that she almost forgot about the pep talk she had with Derek not 5 minutes ago.

"Are you ready, Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?" her attending asked, the long surname rolling off her tongue in a swift wave of sounds. She stood behind the redhead, smiling at her encouragingly.

She nodded, following her uncertainly into the OR and allowing the scrub nurse to slip on her latex gloves. She muttered a quiet thanks and positioned herself rightfully by the patient, her eyes scanning the gallery to find Derek's blue ones.

Blue met green and she smiled, reassured and encouraged.

"The OR is yours, Montgomery," the attending declared, beaming with pride at Addison's progress. She was everyone's prodigy, all the attendings fighting over her whenever interns were assigned. But she had an unsurpassed knack for obstetrics, and it showed early on in her internship. Everyone knew she would make a great doctor.

Addison turned her head to her attending and smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Dr. Price."

Taking a deep breath, she extended her hand to the scrub nurse, muttering the lines "_I have confidence in me_" before nodding determinedly. "Scalpel."

-

Addison could barely contain her excitement as she exited the OR and ran straight into Derek's outstretched arms, his whole being beaming with pride at her accomplishment.

"You did it, Addie! What'd I tell you?"

She hugged him tighter, too wrapped up in her excitement to respond. "Oh god, oh god. That felt incredible!"

"I'm sure it did," he beamed.

The procedure went by smoothly, Addison's hand expertly navigating their way among the pile of flesh and successfully delivering the 7-pound baby boy. Her eyes stung with tears as she expelled the baby from the mother's womb, her heart beating rapidly at the success she was about to achieve. And she closed the mother up, she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonderment, as if she were exactly where she was supposed to be, like she had found her calling. That in itself put her in an excellent mood, too giddy to notice anything else but the apparent success of the surgery.

"We have to go out and celebrate!" she exclaimed, detaching herself from Derek and turning to wash her hands, still giddy from it all. "Oh, let's have dinner with Mark please?"

Derek chuckled. "Anything you wish, my lady," he said gallantly, the endearment something they had acquired while watching Robin Hood together.

She turned her head and grinned before noticing Mark by doorframe of the scrub room, a big smile on his face.

"So your lucky underwear really is lucky," Mark commented, walking to Addison and wrapping her in a bear hug. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you. And I suppose you'll never doubt the power of the lucky underwear ever again?" she questioned, eyeing Mark knowingly. One should never diss the lucky underwear.

He shook his head. "Never. It does wonders. For instance, if tomorrow Derek comes into shift with a goofy grin on his face, I'll know he got lucky, and I'll be able to prove even more just how lucky those Victoria Secret undies are."

"Ha-ha, Mark," Derek said, glaring playfully at Mark. "I never sport a goofy grin."

"Yes you do," Addison and Mark said simultaneously, bursting out laughing at the coincidence.

Derek's glare got harder, pouting un-amusedly at them. "Fine, then. No more sex for you, Addison. And no more juicy details for Mark."

Addison's eyes widened. "What the hell? You compare notes?" She was beyond shocked.

They both shrugged. "Just moves," Derek answered nonchalantly. "Don't look at me that way," he said, raising his hands up at Addison's expression. "Thanks to my note sharing with Mark, you actually reach _your_ point."

Mark chuckled at Addison death glare, the blush on her face scattering profusely from her cheeks to her forehead and ears. "I cannot believe you," she huffed.

"What can I say? It boosts _my_ confidence," Derek said unashamedly, deciding that with the adorable pout Addison sported, he loved her even more.

* * *

So? What do you think? Angst for the next chapter? :D Thank you so much for reading!


	4. The Sound of Music

AN: Thanks for the reviews, guys! :) So here's the next oneshot. It's my (lame) attempt at writing angst. I know it's been done a lot of times before, but this is my take on it. :) Hope you guys like it!

-I own nothing.

* * *

She cracked her knuckles slightly and stretched her back, arching it in preparation for something she had not done in years. The precision required of a surgeon was something she possessed, but it was different to let her fingers glide delicately across the piano keys she had not played in quite a while.

The hospital had acquired a piano, for reasons unknown to everyone except Richard. He had situated it at the attendings' lounge, free for anyone's usage. And tonight, after a 15 hour shift and while on call, Addison decided to take advantage of it. She couldn't fall asleep, not yet anyway. Images of her husband flirting with Meredith Grey flashed across her brain, giving her no rest or comfort, which was why she decided that at the moment, the real keys to her chained happiness were the piano's.

Slowly but surely, she positioned her fingers over them, allowing them to press down and create harmonious melodies that transported her to a time and place of simplicity. The tune, hauntingly familiar, was one she knew by heart; one she had learned when she first started playing the intrument.

Her mother had asked her sweet and soulful grandmother to teach her to play the daunting instrument. Her grandmother, Victoria Archibald Forbes, a free-spirited yet highly devout lady, had always possessed a love for music, especially those of the contemporary age. She had longed to impart her knowledge to her grandchildren, so as soon as Beatrice Forbes Montgomery asked her to teach young Addison how, she jumped at the chance and created in Addison a deep love for music. This was later affirmed by the band-geek Addison who played the trombone in the marching band.

She found Rodgers and Hammerstein comforting, one of the reasons she loved musicals dearly. The words stirred up the child in her, needing nothing more than innocent laughter and simple joys. They always reminded her of faith, of happily ever afters and hope in spite of chaos.

Unbeknownst to her, the music she played had beckoned to everyone on the floor, all of them straining their ears to catch an earful of the beautiful music Dr. Montgomery- Shepherd was playing. It was surprsing, but pleasantly, and it put them in a good mood despite the hour. She was a professional, practicing everyday until she had to move out for college, and could play any challenging repertoire for anyone who cared to listen. And to the staff, to have generally uptight and bitchy Addison Montgomery Shepherd play was a welcomed change.

One of those she had drawn to the harmonious sound was her husband, with whom things had been difficult lately. Every time she thought they were making progress, something would come up and they would go two steps back. If it weren't for the fact that Addison was such a fighter, things would've gone speedily downhill for them, especially with his newfound love for Meredith Grey.

Derek leaned against the doorframe, watching Addison from the back as she let her fingers gracefully move across the instrument. He smiled, humming to himself at the sight of her so entranced by the music. He secretly loved seeing her play. It was when she played that she was most comfortable, happiest even. She was always so at ease that it made his heart soar to see her so.

_To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls over stones on its way  
__To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray._

And then just as surprisingly as it happened, it stopped, Addison recoiling her touch from the seemingly offensive instrument. Her eyes widened in shock, tears welling in her beautiful green eyes. She didn't know how things went from comforting, to terribly horrifying. All she knew was that the song brought back memories she had wanted for so long to bury into oblivion.

Derek's face fell, his heart clenching slightly at the torment he had yet to see on her features. He took a step forward, cautiously so as not to surprise her.

"Addie.."

She turned her back, surprised to see anyone at all in the room with her. "Derek?" she asked, wiping at her tears angrily and trying to pretend that nothing was wrong.

He opened his mouth to say something, but thought the better of it and sighed. "You played very beautifully," he settled, eyeing Addison's expression carefully. He was completely puzzled with Addison behavior, and he tried to jog up his brain for anything that may link him to better understanding her.

"Thank you," she whispered, standing up to smooth invisible wrinkles on her scrubs.

"I haven't heard you play in a while," he said quietly, almost wistfully. "I had almost forgotten that you did... play the piano, I mean."

She nodded, moving from the piano to the middle of the room, her hands digging unsurely into the pockets of her scrub pants. "I thought I'd forgotten how actually," she admitted. "I've lost sight of a lot of things these days..."

His lips curved into a small smile, his eyes twinkling with sympathetic apologies. "It was perfect though, like you've practiced your whole life," he said honestly.

"I did, acutally. My grandmother taught me the song, remember?"

He nodded, walking deeper into the room and standing a few inches from Addison. "You know, you never told me why you love that song so much. It couldn't be just because your grandmother taught it to you. There must be some sentimental reason for you to love it."

Addison shrugged, her face remaining passive. "It's comforting, is all. The lyrics… they're heartfelt."

He nodded again and laid his hand on the small of her back, waiting to see if she would wince at his touch. And when she didn't, he lead her to the couch, sitting her beside him and allowing her to rest her head on chest as he pulled her closer to him.

"I go to the hills when my heart is lonely," she whispered, tracing lazy circles on his chest.

"The words?" he asked, watching her carelessly and subconsciously draw patterns on his scrub top.

She nodded, breathing in his scent. "There aren't any hills in Hartford, but there was this park I used to go to when my dad would come home drunk in the middle of the day. It was solace. And... It's where I started to appreciate nature more; the sights... The sounds..."

A look of confusion spread across his face. "But you seemingly hate the trailer," he stated, the end of his sentence curling upward.

Addison laughed lightly. "I don't seemingly hate it. I really do."

He joined in her laughter. "Then why?"

Her laughter died down abruptly, her face contorting in pain and panic. It was obvious that whatever it was that was bothering her had been haunting her for a long time, but never found the courage to face it. "I... I just do," she said hastily.

"Addie? I think I know when you're lying to me. Come on," he urged, concerned at his wife's sudden change in demeanor. Though he had been far from caring these past months, it bothered him to see her battle with demons only she could see. She was the epitome of strength, and for her to be so forlorn in her battles stirred up a primal desire for him to care for her. Though he would admit that his indifference hurt her more than he could ever put into words, there was nothing more painful than to have strong, independent Addison crumble.

She moved to stand up, but Derek held her firmly in place, genuine concern lacing his features. "Derek…" she said tiredly. "It's not something I want to discuss, okay? So I would very much appreciate it if we just dropped the subject." It was foreign and yet completely familiar to have Derek care for her the way he did now. But she couldn't allow herself to open up her heart, knowing that in the end, she would only hurt herself.

"Adds... Let me help you."

She sighed, shaking her head in defiance. "It was a long time ago, nothing you should concern yourself with. I'm trying to move forward from it and it hardly matters anymore."

"It matters if it's enough to make you react this way. Come on, let me in," he begged quietly, wanting to find out why all of a sudden, Addison was shutting him out. It was usually him who did the shutting out part. Addison used to be very good at expressing her emotions.

"I have to go," she said quickly, standing up and walking out the door, leaving Derek staring behind her. She decided she couldn't continue the conversation, knowing that if she did, she would only be exposing another fragile piece of herself, open to his destruction.

-

Derek lay in the trailer the next night, still pondering Addison's peculiar behavior from the night before. He didn't was be rudely condescending, but he didn't want to acquiesce to Addison closing him off. He sighed, rubbing his temples in slight frustration when he heard her car pull up against the gravel. He waited attentively as the headlights turned off, Addison staying a while longer in the car, no doubt trying to brace herself for another night of indifference. After about 10 minutes, he heard the car door slam shut followed by the trailer door opening, a gust of cold wind entering.

Addison walked in cautiously, closing the trailer door behind her and standing adjacent to the bed. Derek stared at her, the loneliness in her eyes finally making an impact on him. She looked fragile amid her efforts to conceal any form of weakness. Her eyes were melancholy, her stance less confident than he remembered. She looked tired, of what; he didn't need three guesses for. His eyes followed her as she set her purse on the small kitchen counter and stood in the small area that separated the kitchen and the bedroom.

"My father raped me," she blurted out quietly, her eyes cast downward. "In that park I was telling you about. I went missing for two days before they found me, still naked from the violation." Her voice was pained, quiet. It was the first she had told anybody about the incident since it had happened.

The silence between them was enormous as Derek gaped at her in complete shock. His jaw fell, his eyes widened, and his heart beat erratically as he looked at the woman in front of him. She was raped. Her father had violated her. And she never told him. He waited for her to say something as he was still too caught up in his surprise to utter anything comprehendible. The only words that were running through his head were the words rape and father, somehow not believing that they appeared in the same sentence.

"I didn't tell my mother that it was dad. She... would've never believed me," she continued, her voice raw and pained and nothing more than a whisper. "But Archer knew... And he did what he could to protect me. I... never told you because I wanted to stop grieving over something that happened when I was 14. I never wanted to tell anyone because I couldn't take the looks of pity and… just… everything would've made things real. And I didn't want it to be real. I didn't want to remember," she admitted, finding it very difficult to pour her heart out about something she had closed off years before. She stood there awkwardly, waiting for Derek to react. Her eyes settled on Derek unsurely, her heart beating harder against her own chest at the revelation. She never could quite guess how she was able to deal with the happenings of her childhood with surprising strength. At the moment, all she knew was that it felt like a load was lifted from her shoulders as she made the first step toward opening up.

There was a lapse between them, Derek still trying to process what she had just revealed. He sat in pity and compassion at the woman standing before him. He never would've guessed that the man she called her father could ever hurt her the way he did. But above all, he sat in complete awe at the inner strength she possessed, at the power of her being to survive through something he never could've imagined. He had underestimated her, and it put Addison in a whole different perspective. "Addie..."

"I don't know why I told you now. I mean it's... Never bothered me before to tell you. But last night, at the lounge... The way you looked at me," she paused, closing her eyes reliving that short moment with Derek. "You looked at me like you did before Mark... Like you really cared. And I've been wanting so long for you to look at me like that again and I just... I thought maybe it was time to tell you. I mean," she shifted her weight unsurely, her hands balling into fists to try to contain her emotions. "It was a part of my past that I wanted so badly to bury away and I just... Thought you would want to know. I mean, I stopped playing that song when it happened because it reminded me of the incident. Yesterday was the first time I played it in 20 years. And it just brought back memories," she rambled on, unaware that she was blabbering. "I want you to know now though. I want you to know what happened."

In one instant, Derek had crossed the small trailer and wrapped his strong arms around Addison with such intensity and urgency that it brought forth the floodgates from Addison's eyes. He let her bury her face in his chest as he tightened his hold on her, stroking her back and himself feeling a rush of emotions. The revelation weighed so heavily on him that he couldn't begin to comprehend how it must have felt like to be Addison; to go through such a violation and not have your own mother believe you, to find happiness only to have it ruined by an ass of a husband.

"Oh, Addison. I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't know and I... It's going to be okay," he whispered, tears falling freely from his own eyes. He felt like the biggest ass, to have treated her so horribly. But it was more than guilt. He was compelled to be better, as if he saw Addison in a different light, one that didn't always put her on a pedestal, but one that made her human, with a heart. He tightened his embrace, stroking her hair and allowing her to draw strength from him. "It's going to be okay," he repeated, even if he himself wasn't sure it ever would.

In that moment, he couldn't think of anything else other than the fact that his wife was in his arms, opening a window of opportunity for him to be better, to be more attentive and to love her the way she deserved to be loved. He suddenly realized the events that had shaped Addison into the way she was, and that he was part of the reason whatever defenses she had built were crumbling down slowly.

"I'm sorry I never told you," she said through her tears. "I never told anyone and I—"

"Shhh, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, okay? What matters is that you did now and I can help you move forward."

"Will you help me forget?" she whispered, her voice pleading as she lifted her head from his chest to meet his worried gaze. "Will you?"

He was at a loss for words before he decided that he couldn't lie to her and tell her he could make her forget what had happened. But he knew he could help her heal, to come into terms with it and move forward. "I… can't make you forget Addie. But I promise I'll help you forgive."

She shook her head. "But it's still going to plague me the way it has for the past 20 years of my life," she protested meekly.

"I know, but I'll be here to comfort you, to make you strong."

"You won't always be here," she answered softly, her voice devoid of bitterness but full of hopelessness. "You won't always be here."

"I'll always be here," he affirmed. "Look at me," he said, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you, Addie. But I'm not going anywhere. I promise to be better and I promise we're going to make this work out okay?" He needed her to believe him, to recognize the sincerity in his words and to trust him.

She didn't reply, only nodded reluctantly. They had come so far into the mess that it was difficult for her to imagine Derek being the way he was before everything went downhill. But she nodded anyway, if only to reassure herself that all hope wasn't gone for them.

"I promise that one day, you'll be able to play the song again and find the same comfort you once did before," he vowed. "I know you stopped playing it because it hurt, but I promise you that one day you'll play it as beautifully as you did all those years ago." The implications of his words were heavy. To promise Addison that she would be able to play it with eas once again meant that she would be able to heal, to move forward from everything, which was only possible if she had Derek by her side.

Addison looked up, her eyes showing disbelief. "I need you to mean that, Derek. I can't… I can't live with any more disappointments."

"You won't be disappointed, Addie." He led her to the bed and sat her down, taking her hands in his. "Remember the lyrics after Maria goes to hills when she's lonely?"

She nodded, sighing in frustration. "She knows she's going to be able to hear whatever it was that she used to."

"That's right. And it's going to be the same for you. I'll help you. You're going to be the way you were before everything, and I'm going to be the way I was before everything. And we're going to be okay, I swear. We're going to make it."

"And I'll be able to 'sing once more'?"

He nodded, encouraged. "You will, with me. Always with me," he said confidently, holding her closer to him and basking in the bright possibilities that lay ahead of him with the love of his life.

_I go to the hills when my heart is lonely.  
I know I will hear what I've heard before.  
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music,  
And I'll sing once more._

_

* * *

_

I think the last oneshot was better than this one, mainly because I can't quite hit the emotions I want to. Let me know how you think I can improve? Thanks so much for reading!


	5. Sixteen going on Seventeen

AN: So... thanks for all the reviews on the previous one, guys! :) You're all awesome. This one's pretty short and absolutely fluffy. I can finally write without angst. :)) This one's based on 16 going on 17. Haha. Let me know what you think? Thanks.

- I own nothing.

* * *

"So, my mom called today."

Addison looked up from her Introduction to Surgery book to meet Derek's gaze, nodding slightly albeit distractedly. "What'd she say?"

Derek grinned, moving from his position on the bed and to be closer to her. "That she wanted me to go home for Christmas and that she, and I quote 'would like to meet the woman who has put your sorry ass in line'."

She raised a brow and laughed heartily, the sound echoing across the tiny apartment that was Derek's lodging. She marked her book page before closing it, setting it beside her to give Derek her full attention. "Is that so?"

"Mmmhmm," he smiled. "So?"

"So?" she quirked, enjoying the subtle banter.

He looked sheepishly shy, his cheeks burning slightly. "I was wondering if you wanted to spend Christmas with my family this year. I mean… if your parents won't mind, that is," he asked hopefully, his eyes expectant.

Addison thought about it for a moment, pursing her lips in contemplation. She hadn't exactly thought about her holiday plans, seeing that her mind was too wrapped up in her academics. "I'll have to ask what my parents are up to this Christmas," she answered. "They'll probably be off cruising like last year," she said nonchalantly.

"And you can get out of it?" he asked, his nervousness quite apparent. "I mean, it's our first Christmas together and I really want you to meet my mom. You've met my sisters—"

"All four of them," she grinned, thoroughly amused by Derek's ramblings. She would never tell him but he was endearing when he was nervous, like a child wanting to buy something from a toy store. Meeting his four sister was an overwhelming experience, but she charmed them and gained their approval, to say the least.

"That's right. And it's high time you met Mama Shepherd," Derek declared.

She smiled at him softly, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to miss Christmas with her family to meet Derek's. After all, whether she wanted to admit it or not, Derek was a huge part of her life, and she knew early on that he would stay that way forever.

Addison nodded. "If that's the case then… I want you to meet my parents over the holidays too," she declared seriously. "We can do New Year's countdown in Hartford," Addison suggested.

Derek grinned widely, the implications not lost on him. "I would love to," he said emphatically. "After all, I deal with Barron-Montgomerys and… what did you say that was? Archibald-Forbes everyday."

Addison laughed at his dramatization, sensing his slight apprehension but knowing that he would put aside his own nervousness for her. She smiled at him softly, catching his questioning gaze. It was moments like these that she realized how quintessential her relationship with Derek was.

In the months that they had dated, he was genuinely charming and eloquent, sweet and considerate that it was only a matter of time before she found herself falling for him. Something at the back of her mind told her that Derek was the one, that despite the fact that they hadn't been seeing each other long, the connection they had made would last them a lifetime.

"What?" he asked, his eyes curious at the way Addison was staring at him.

She shook her head and snapped out of the slight trance, grinning at him apologetically. "Nothing. It's just… I… We're really serious about each other, aren't we?"

His face immediately softened, realizing that Addison's words rung true. He was looking at her in a different perspective, in a way he never saw another woman before. Addison wasn't just a date, a woman he was going to dump when the better one comes next. No. She was the girl he had dreamt of in his far off musings and he suddenly started to comprehend that she was the personification of his childhood fantasies.

"We are," he confirmed, reaching out for her hand and squeezing it lightly. "You're going to be… the first girl I'm taking home to meet everyone," he smiled, watching Addison's reaction carefully.

Her eyes widened slightly, disbelieving but touched just the same. She was flattered and yet entirely terrified at the same time at the prospect of being the first girl of the only Shepherd son. "In that case… You'll be the first man I'm absolutely serious about that I'm taking home to meet my family," she grinned, hoping he would find consolation in the fact that she was serious about him, in more ways than one.

"My mother's going to like you," she added as an afterthought, remembering that Bizzy Montgomery had a secret kink for dark-haired, charming men.

"Glad to know," he beamed, sitting up straight and planting a quick kiss on her lips. "My mother too, I think."

"You think?" she asked, her brow raised and arched impeccably.

He shrugged. "My sisters always seem to chase away any potential girlfriend, so my mom's never really met any of them."

Addison nodded, suddenly feeling nervous about meeting the Shepherd, shifted in her position from the bed and stood up, giving Derek a pointed gaze. "She'd have expectations," she said seriously, plainly.

A confused look spread across his perfect features, the lack of comprehension seeping its way through every curve of his face. "What do you mean?"

"You're the only Shepherd boy, Derek. They'll want the best for you."

"And you're not the best?"

She shrugged, somehow realizing she was being ridiculous but refusing to let the topic go just the same. "I don't know. I mean… I'm Addison Forbes Montgomery. I don't fret. Fretting is beyond me. But this… the thought of not being _accepted_, scares the crap out of me."

Derek had to laugh at this as he sat up and leaned his back on headboard, resting his hands on his lap. "Since when did you care about being accepted? You're a nonconformist, remember?" he smirked, amused.

Addison nodded. "I know. It's just… it would mean a lot of they accepted me," she answered sincerely, knowing that it was important to both her and Derek to have their families get along.

He was quiet for a moment, understanding what she meant. Although he knew that in the long run, if Carolyn Shepherd didn't end up liking Addison, Addison wouldn't care because that was she, naturally. She wouldn't need anyone's approval, especially if she was determined. Addison was stubborn that way.

"I'd want them to like me, Derek."

"Why?" grinned.

She threw him a playful glare before sighing heavily, leaning on the wall. "Well if we're… serious about each other," she started.

"How serious?"

"Serious."

He laughed. "Okay."

"If we ever end up together, she'll have to like me," she said quietly.

"She's going to like you," he said firmly, endeared by Addison's sentiment. "Trust me. She only wants what's best for me, like you said, and I assure you… You're the best for me," he finished sincerely.

Her green eyes seemed to have brightened, comforted and reassured by Derek's words. "Thank you."

"If it matters any," he shrugged, "if any one of us should be nervous, it's me."

Addison quirked a brow at him, smirking. "Really?"

"Addie… you're Forbes Montgomery. Your mother is an Archibald Forbes, which is rich in itself," he panicked, "and your father is Atty. Anthony Barron Montgomery. Ever since I was 5, I've been reading about him in the papers."

"And?"

He stared at her incredulously. "It's intimidating!"

Addison had to bite her lip from laughing. He looked so handsome when he fussed out of nowhere. It was one of his weird tendencies, and it was charming. "You'll be fine."

"Addie… you're like the first daughter of Hartford. And I'm like the… troublemaker on my street—"

"With Mark of course."

He paused, grinning. "With Mark. But that's not the point. The point is… you're royalty. You're the princess and I'm the pauper."

"What's our social status got to do with it?"

"Everything!" he breathed. "People get killed for marrying outside their caste."

"So, what? Are we living in 18th century India now?"

Derek laughed, sitting cross-legged on the bed and shoving the big book aside to position himself in the middle. "No… but… as parents, I'm sure they'd want to be assured that you'll be well taken cared of."

"Won't I be?" she asked, walking back to the bed and sitting on its edge, twisting her body to face Derek. "You'll take care of me, won't you?"

"You know I will," he said, cupping her cheek with his hand and looking at her intensely. "But your parents might not think that way. I'm not rich, Adds. I can only give an abundance of… love… and not material things, not wealth."

She smiled at him softly, leaning into his touch. "Then that's enough for me. You're 22, I'm 21… you'll take care of me."

"Because I'm older and wiser?"

Addison grinned. "Indeed. And well… I love you. They won't be able to do anything about that."

"I love you too."

"I know you do," she said, kissing him chastely on the lips.

They stared at each other for a long while before Derek pulled Addison on to the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "So… Christmas?"

She nodded. "Christmas. Then New Year's in Hartford," she confirmed, mentally making a note to call her mother and book tickets.

-

Later that night, Derek was standing outside Ivy Hill's door, ready to bid Addison goodnight and start calling his mother. It was a cold night, the breeze blowing softly against their wrapped bodies. The sky was dark and the stars were shining brightly, proudly displaying their beauty.

"So…"

"Good night, Derek," Addison started, but not making any move to go inside.

He grinned. "Good night, Addie."

They stared at each other for a good minute before Addison reached up to kiss him on the lips and smile, turning away and walk to the door.

"Hey, Addie!" Derek called out before she could reach the glass entrance.

She turned around, tilting her head in confusion but smiling just the same.

"You know in that movie you love so much?"

Addison nodded, grinning, though not knowing where he was going with the conversation.

He grinned wider. "I'm 22 going on 23, and I'll take care of you," he said sincerely.

Another honest smile graced her features, and the fluttering in her stomach did nothing for the unbelievable surge of love she felt in her heart. She walked back over to Derek and stopped about a foot from him, digging her hands in the pockets of her coat.

"You're 22 going on 23 and…" she laughed, suddenly feeling rather ridiculous, but needing to say it just the same. "Well… I'll depend on you," she winked and kissed him to cheek hastily before walking inside the apartment.

* * *

Thanks for reading! :D


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